Come by the Hills
by JulietVargas
Summary: The mystical land of Brigadoon appears near a quaint town in the hills of Scotland once every 10 years. A young boy takes the opportunity to explore and ends up getting into an adventure and forming a bond that can only grow with each following visit. (Main paring GerIta, but others will most likely show up)
1. Chapter 1

Come by the Hills

Ch. 1

The young boy made his way through the town and let the smells fill his nostrils. He had heard that in these parts of Caledonia things rarely changed from year to year, even with the introduction of new technology. He could smell spiced meats cooking outside and a blacksmith's hammer beating a rhythm nearby. It was hard to believe that this was a town in the 21st century and when he made it through and out onto the country lanes he was even more glad that he had snuck out to see it. Children were cautioned not to leave the town because they could lose track of time and not be back before the earth day was through. But at 10 years old, Ludwig believed himself to be old enough to keep track of the time and would not fall asleep and be caught out before the following morning. His grandfather and older brother had not felt the same though and had told him to stay home while they went to explore. In a very uncharacteristic Ludwig behavior, he had ignored them and snuck out anyways. But he had gone a different direction from the very heart of town where Gilbert was sure to have dragged their grandfather.

Ludwig smiled and inhaled the pleasant country air. This land had been dubbed Scotland now but he thought that Caledonia just fit it so much better. The rolling hills and craggy cliffs in the distance danced like the sea with the breeze that blew through it and contained so many wonders that the people of earth and even those lands no longer believed in or had thought had died out long ago. He wondered if he might encounter one. His grandfather had told him legends that the appearance of Brigadoon once every 10 years caused these beings to become more active once more and bridged the gap between the world of the mundane, and the realm of the fantastic. Ludwig was excited and anxious if this could be true as he turned onto another smaller path that led him along a well weathered stone wall. It wasn't until he saw the quaint house and barn in the distance that he realized he was walking a private drive. He prepared to turn around when something caught his eyes, a blanket had been lain out a little ways from the house and on it was a little child and another that looked more like a baby. A little voice carried to him on the wind.

"See, Feli, clover? Pretty?"

Gilggling and clapping followed.

The older child seemed to delight in that and spoke more.

"Four leaf clovers lucky! Want me find you?"

The baby giggled more and started clapping in delight.

"Ok, I find!" the older child nodded and got up from the blanket and began searching the ground, slowly getting farther and farther from the baby and blanket. The baby made to follow after a bit but could only manage to stand up, when they tried to walk they immediately fell and started crying.

The child returned quickly to comfort the baby.

"It ok, Feli, you sit. I get clover! Bring you!" The child went off again after the baby had stopped crying.

Ludwig was starting to get an uneasy feeling as he watched the little boy searching around the front of the property. He wondered how determined he would be. Would he leave the baby to search farther away in his quest for a four leaf clover? He certainly hoped not. He couldn't see any parents present, though a window in the house was open. And then his fears were realized as the boy disappeared around to the back of the house. Ludwig waited with baited breath for him to return but kept his eyes on the baby. Really nothing could happen to it when it couldn't yet walk. And it was daylight so…

His ears suddenly picked up the sound of music. A beautiful mixture of pipes of different kinds and a fiddle here and there and a delicate harp with lutes and other strings accompanying it. It was beautiful! How could his grandfather have called this land mundane! Then the party seemed to just melt out of the tall grasses around the hill and he realized his mistake too late. This was not music from the mundane earth world, it was from the world of the fantastic, a world his land bordered. These people went by many names, little people, fairies, gnomes, elves, but his people simply called them Caledonians, the ancient natives. One thing was common with all the names though, they were rumored to steal children that wandered unattended too close to their homes under the hills. But on this day when Brigadoon's presence had bridged the rift between the two realms, it appeared they could venture further.

He wanted to cry out. To alert somebody to their presence or run to stop them himself but his mouth was suddenly so dry and his feet were stuck to road like a statue. He could only watch helplessly as the party approached the baby who looked up at them curiously and did not cry as a green garbed lady knelt down to speak softly to it and stroke the delicate little curls. She then scooped the baby up and turned back to her party but a figure was still left on the blanket and Ludwig gasped in confusion. Had they left one of their own children in its place. He finally forced his feet to take a few steps forward and his lips formed a croaked command.

"Halt!"

But the Caledonians were already hurrying back away towards their hill with the lady in front holding the baby protectively and the man beside her now also stroking its delicate curls. By the time Ludwig had reached the blanket, the party was gone. He had failed.

And yet…

He stared at the figure left on the blanket in shock. It was the baby! Lying with a peaceful smile on its face! Asleep! No…wait…

The skin seemed rather pale for a healthy baby, the hair not shining as brightly as before. He reached down to touch a pudgy arm and hissed in shock at how cold and lifeless it felt. And yet, the chest moved up and down and as he leaned his face down some light breath tickled it. The baby breathed. Could it really just be asleep? He started to shake it in order to wake it but to no avail. And then things got troublesome.

"What you do to brother!" The child's voice shouted suddenly and he was pelted with handfuls of clover. Apparently the boy thought this would scare him away. He turned to face the angry boy and spoke as calmly as he could.

"I was checking that they were alright. You left them alone and no one else was here and then the Caledonians came and…"

"Stop talking!" The boy raged cutting him off and pelting him with even more grass and a few small stones and sticks he could find now, "Leave or I call Nono!"

Ludwig was rather annoyed by now but also worried that the shouting still had not woken the baby. He didn't want to get blamed but maybe this, Nono, could help?

"Call him." He challenged.

The little boy clenched his fists and turned to the house, not wanting to leave his brother with this brother for a minute but realizing that his attempts at getting him to leave weren't working.

"Nono!" he shouted as loud as he could, "Nono, help! Help! Feli! Stranger! Help!"

The door banged open and a man came striding out and made a beeline for them. He looked much like Ludwig felt and sped up his pace at seeing Ludwig kneeling next to the baby.

"Who are you?" he demanded before even reaching them, "Why are you here? What are you doing next to my Feli and Lovi?"

Ludwig stood up and adopted his best polite voice as he quickly tried to explain.

"I'm sorry sir, I followed this lane by mistake but then I saw the boy leave the baby alone and got worried, and then the Caledonians came and I thought they picked up the baby and took it with them but now I see it still here but it won't wake up so I don't know what to think now. I'm worried about it."

The man studied him for a long moment before he let out a breath and knelt down to inspect the baby himself and hissed at the cold touch of the skin.

"Did you say Caledonians?" he turned back to Ludwig.

He nodded, "Though you probably know them as little people."

The man nodded again and picked the baby up and held them close.

"I did not grow up in these parts. Nor have I lived here long. But I have still heard the tales of the little people and how they steal children. And now…" he looked down at the baby and stroked its curls, "I fear that I understand the truth now. They do not steal the whole child, only their soul."

"What mean, Nono?" The boy asked while biting his lip and looking up at his grandfather and sibling worriedly, "What wrong with Feli?"

The man looked pained and about ready to cry. He didn't know how to explain it so his elder grandson would understand. The 3 year old was smart but this concept was difficult even for an adult to understand.

"Do you remember the word I used for your mama after the accident, bambino?"

The child nodded. "Coma." He supplied with a proud if uncertain smile.

The man nodded.

"Feli is like that too now."

The child looked horrified and started to wail.

"No! No! My brother! My baby brother!"

The man tried to comfort his elder grandchild while also clutching the abandoned body of his younger. He did not know how to proceed from here, but watching the scene, Ludwig did.

"Don't worry, sir, I will get the baby back." He saluted him and began to walk in the direction the Caledonians had taken to the hill.

"But why? How? Who are you?" the man asked in confusion.

Ludwig turned back and smiled.

"I am Ludwig Beilschmidt of Brigadoon and I will be a knight."

~L~

Ludwig made it to the hill and began searching all around the base for the secret entrance. It would be nearly invisible to an unaware eye, perhaps behind a stone or supposedly fallen tree, or a clever looking rabbit warren. They were, after all, called little people for a reason. Finally his hands passed through a clump of grass that just looked like a normal part of the hill. He took a breath as he prepared himself for the challenge ahead and reminded himself why he was doing this. He was going to be a brave knight. The baby needed a brave knight to recuse him! He pushed his arms and body through and began the descent down into the realm beneath the hill.

The tunnel grew, in a bit, but he knew it was because he had shrunk to the size of the Caledonians as he went down their path. He could see ethereal glowing in the distance, green lights. Everything of the people under the hill was green, from their clothes, to their surroundings, to their skin. He looked up at the sconces glowing green and couldn't help but shiver a bit. He was a strong, smart, brave boy of 10, but right now he really felt like a child.

He stepped out of the tunnel and into a grand cavern where a celebration appeared to be taking place. Figures danced in the center around a green and blue fire and the processional orchestra from earlier was merrily playing away beside them. But his main focus was on the pair on the dais above them all. The lady that had taken the baby was playing with him while her male companion bounced him on his knee. The giggles and clapping rang out through the cavern. Ludwig approached them around the rest of the occupants of the cavern. The little people looked at him and whispered, they knew where he was from, they also knew he would have been told properly about them and so did not offer him anything to eat or drink. They simply watched as he made his way to the dais.

The King and Queen, for that was who the lady and man with the child were, finally turned to him, the Queen with worry and the King with contempt.

"Why have you entered my realm, child of Brigadoon? Do you not feel fear lest we trap you here and you miss returning to your home before sunrise?"

Ludwig stood his ground against the calm yet sharp voice.

"Your Majesty, I have come for the baby your people stole earlier."

The Queen took the baby from her husband and clutched him tightly.

The King continued to stare at him from behind his moss green glasses.

"What is your name, child?"

Ludwig knew this trick. The Caledonians would have power over him if he revealed his name to them. He shook his head.

"You may call me Heinrich" That was another name his parents had considered for him.

The man nodded and addressed him thus.

"Heinrich, you may not take the child. My wife has already become attached to her. I suggest you leave while you still have the chance."

Ludwig stood his ground.

"I'm not leaving without the baby. His family is quite upset. I promised them to bring him back."

The King frowned more and pushed at his glasses.

"It appears we are at an impasse then."

"Rodderich, you are the king, make him go away!" The lady hissed.

"You know I cannot do that without force, Erzvet, my love" he sighed, "We must hope he does not know what to do next and gives up. He is quite young still after all."

Ludwig didn't like being treated like a child, especially when he DID know what to do next.

"I challenge you!" he shouted and pointed at the King.

King Roderich Edelstein, of the Caledonians, sighed and settled back in his chair while his Queen, Erzvet, paled and stoked the baby's hair faster.

"Very well, Heinrich, if you can answer my three riddles then you may take the child and go."

Ludwig nodded. His grandfather had been telling him riddles since he was a small child so he was fairly certain he was at a good advantage. He also was pretty sure the man could not use a riddle to trick him into revealing his actual name.

"First riddle," The King began, "The more I appear the less you see. So riddle me this, what could I be?"

Ludwig thought about it and closed his eyes so he would only see darkness, and it hit him!

"Darkness!" he shouted in triumph. The Queen moaned.

"Second riddle," The King continued, "What goes through towns and over hills but never moves?"

Ludwig remembered his grandfather telling him this one but did not remember the answer immediately. His brain raced through possible answers and discarded ones that did not make enough sense. What went through things without moving? Lines? Yes but there weren't really lines that went over hills. Bridges went over things, not really through. Tunnels went through but not over. Tracks? Most trains he knew of went around or near town and through hills, not over. Roads? Yes! Roads went through towns and over hills!

"Roads!" he stated proudly.

The Queen let out a wail and clutched even tighter to the baby, the King gritted his teeth and rose once more to stare hard at him as he spoke the final riddle.

"What goes up and never comes down?"

Ludwig was triumphant at hearing this one which the King must think was a challenge. Unfortunately for his majesty, Ludwig's brother, Gilbert, loved to tell this riddle to their Opa all the time.

"Your age!"

The King spluttered in shock while Ludwig expected the Queen to wail more and start crying. Instead, she got up and placed the baby on her throne before approaching Ludwig with a sharp glare on her face.

"You are a very bad child!" she snapped, "I have wanted a baby for years but not been able to have one! This dear baby girl's family left her all alone in that yard, they deserved to have her taken away by people who will properly care for her!"

"Erzvet," her husband placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "He won the challenge. There's nothing for it. He can take the baby back with him. But all is not lost." He smirked at Ludwig now, "She's eaten some of our food and taken a drink. She is now partially of our kind, which means that we may go and visit and check up on her and she will be able to see us, even if we are small at the time."

The Queen looked a little better at that but still glared at Ludwig more before she walked back and picked up the baby to cuddle her tightly and leave many kisses on her brow and cheeks before carrying her to the infuriating boy from Brigadoon.

"I won't forget this" she hissed. "If any harm should come to her under the care of her family, I will hold you responsible for taking her back."

Ludwig nodded but his triumphant smile could not be dimmed as he took the baby who had now fallen asleep. He cradled him and walked past the rest of the Caledonians who stared sadly, and back into the tunnel that would lead him out of the hill once more. He had done it! He had gotten the baby back! He was a knight!

~L~

Romulus was overjoyed to have his younger grandchild whole again. The baby's spirit was undeniable and made his older brother giggle too. He swung both boys around several times before turning to Ludwig once more with a huge grin.

"Thank you!~ Thank you so much, dear, brave boy!~"

Ludwig smiled and bowed, "I just didn't want our being here to break your family apart. I'm glad I was able to help."

"Hard to believe you're a child yourself" the man smiled.

Ludwig actually laughed for the first time and hearing it the baby started to giggle and babble happily as well and reach out towards him.

"Do you want one last hug before he has to go back home, Feli?" Romulus smiled and held the baby down to Ludwig.

He was surprised but gently took the baby and accepted the tight hugs he gave, including a little kiss on his cheek and more happy babbling.

"You're welcome" he whispered, "I…I'll actually miss you too." Then he passed him back to Romulus and hurried off with the shouts from the older brother echoing after him. It was confusing why just by rescuing the baby from the Caledonians he instantly felt attached and responsible for the boy. He had to hurry back to Brigadoon for the time being, but he would return next time. His smile stretched wide as he skipped back towards his home in the gathering twilight.

~L~

Ludwig was asleep when his grandfather and brother returned home from the earth town, so it was at breakfast the following morning that Gilbert regaled him with all the fun they had had. He was oblivious to the fact that his brother was only hearing half of it as he continued to smile about being a knight to an adorable baby with bright amber eyes and shiny auburn hair. He wished he could continue to protect the child for years to come but he couldn't leave his family, and, after returning him to his family, he couldn't steal the boy to Brigadoon. Still, he felt pride and hoped the baby would grow up healthy and strong. It felt similar to how he felt for Gil and Opa. Brotherly love. Protective, and absolute. He was a brave, big brother knight to the baby.

"Don't worry, Luddy!" Gilbert smacked him on the back and made him pay attention now, "You can come with us next time! Gotta get on growing up in 10 years huh?"

Ludwig nodded but in his mind he was going through the math. He was 10 now, in 10 years the baby would be 10 or 11. If Ludwig grew up in those 10 years then he could certainly be a bigger and stronger big brother to him, but he might also be scarier to him. But if he grew just a little older…

((AN: Title of this story is inspired by the song Buachaill ón Éirne/Come by the Hills. My favorite version is by Celtic Thunder. The idea behind the story is roughly inspired by the old musical Brigadoon. The first chapter is inspired by a favorite childhood story of mine, Catkin. I hope you all enjoyed the start to this story, not sure currently how long it will be. Appreciate all of you for reading! Ciao~))


	2. Chapter 2

Ch.2

Feliciano Vargas was a unique child. Not in the way that most parents told their children they were special and unique. He was truly unique because of an event he could hardly remember. An event that he had not heard about from his family. No, they were overprotective and rarely let him out of their sight for long.

He was told by the little people. And that is what made him unique; he could see and speak with the little people that lived under the hill near his house. And it was not surprising since the King and Queen of the little people had admitted that they had stole him away from Nono and Lovi when he was just a baby. He should have been upset about that, and at first he was scared, but then Queen Erzvet had explained that she had been unable to have a child of her own and had so desperately wanted to love and raise a child so when they had discovered baby Feli sitting alone on a blanket they had stolen her soul to raise it as their own child. Feli didn't mind that the Queen referred to him as a girl, and he never corrected her. He just wanted her to be happy when they played in the clover and grasses around his house. He told her and King Roddie about what was going on in his life and Lovi's and Nono's. He told her stories he had created about things he had seen in books or on the computer and from the only memory from infancy he had, a brave boy with light blond hair and brilliant blue eyes. He was the hero of most of Feliciano's stories. And when he was 5 he finally placed a name to him.

"Are you telling your imaginary friends stories again?" His older brother Lovino rolled his eyes at him as they played together out by the sheep pen.

Feliciano had learned years ago not to mention the little people so he let his brother and grandfather believe that he kept himself entertained by playing with imaginary friends. He glanced at his brother and smiled and shrugged before turning back to Erzvet as the Queen of the Little People sat beneath a flower by him to be shaded.

"Your brother can be so mean" she huffed. "I would raise you both so much better."

Feliciano giggled and smiled.

"Maybe, but I still love him and Nono very much. But I am glad that he moved us back here after the acc-i-dent." He didn't remember his parents at all since he had only been 5 months when they had been in a car accident. His papa had died on impact, while his mama had been taken to the hospital and been in a coma for a few months before finally passing away. His grandfather was called to take care of him and Lovi while mama was in the hospital. So when she passed away it was natural that he got custody and took the two boys away to his retired life back in Scotland. It was a great place to grow up and the little people meant he would never be lonely. And he hoped that even after he started school he would still have time to play with them and tell his stories of the blond boy.

Erzvet smiled, "I'm glad too, my little Feli. I love spending time with you like this. But I do have a question. Who is the boy in the stories? He always seems the same each time but you only call him 'the boy'."

Feliciano grinned and rolled onto his stomach so he could be closer to her.

"He's from my memories as a baby. I think he was part of an im-por-tant event but…I can't re-mem-ber it."

Lovino's ears pricked and he glanced up at that. Could his brother be talking about that weird boy that saved him from the little people as a baby? What was his name again…?

Erzvet's eyes widened and she gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath,

"Of course! Him! Heinrich of Brigadoon!"

Feliciano blinked at her and sat up on his elbows. "Who is Hei-n-rich? What is Bri-ga-doon?"

Erzvet cursed herself for speaking out loud but could never fully lie to her precious Feli so she chose to answer one of the questions at least and hope that it would make her forget about the boy.

"Brigadoon is an enchanted land" she began.

"Like yours under the hill?" Feliciano asked in excitement.

"Sortof" she chuckled, "But in a different way. See, unlike our land which people can find if they truly look, Brigadoon can only be reached once every 10 years."

Feliciano's eyes widened as he listened.

The Queen grinned at her partially adopted daughter and continued,

"Once every 10 years it appears on the moors near here, but outsiders still cannot see it."

"Can people visit it then?" Feliciano asked excitedly.

Erzvet shrugged., "If you're invited in you can."

"So people live there!"

She laughed at his enthusiasm,

"Or course. It's no different than your own town, except that it only appears every 10 years, and is ruled by a King and Queen."

Feliciano nodded and grinned, "And Hei-n-rich is from there?"

Erzvet grimaced. So much for her charge forgetting that part.

"Y-Yes…"

"Who is he!" Feliciano demanded eagerly.

"A boy" she sighed, "The boy you keep describing in your stories."

Feliciano's eyes widened even more and he was about to ask more questions when a shout from the house made him jump and whine. Lovino took his arm,

"Come on, time to go in and help Nono with dinner."

Feliciano reluctantly let his brother pull him to his feet before he turned back to the Queen, but she was already gone. He sighed and waved anyways calling softly, "Bye, Queen Erzie~"

Lovino rolled his eyes again at his brother's weird behaviors. Still, he suddenly felt scared and worried that maybe his brother's invisible friends weren't as invisible as he had thought.

~F~

Feliciano's stories changed a bit after that. They became even more whimsical and fantastic, and the hero now had a name. Much to Erzvet's annoyance, she could not escape from the name of Heinrich anymore. She knew that wasn't the boy's actual name but that was the one he had given the Caledonians so that was the one she would forever loathe. If it wasn't for him then her precious little Feli would have been raised happily under the hill where life was easy and full of music and laughter, just like her.

But Feliciano was quite happy with his life with his grandfather and brother. The house was still filled with music and tales of his grandfather's youth moving all around Italy. He showed his grandsons pictures and explained where they had been taken and who all was in them. Feliciano loved his stories of Venice and Tuscany especially and would beg him nearly every night to tell another story from the beautiful city on the water or the hills where the sun seemed to make the land shine gold. Romulus would chuckle and pat his lap for them to sit so he could regale them in his booming voice. Even if the elder man was tired from a day of work on the farm he would happily recount stories for hours into the night until one or both of his grandsons fell asleep leaning against his chest.

This was where Feliciano got his love of telling stories came from, and since he didn't have many in his few years of being alive he had quickly taken to making them up. And for the most part, his grandfather and brother were fine with this and the fact that he would tell them to himself or his imaginary friends instead of them. But one day after Feli had turned 8, Lovino had enough.

"Feli, you're growing up now. You're 8. That's too old for imaginary friends. You have plenty of real friends at school and in town!"

Feliciano paused in telling a new story to Roddie and Erzie and turned to his brother,

"But I like telling stories to them. They'll be sad if I stop!" he protested.

"They're not real! That can't be sad!"

"They are real!" Feliciano got to his feet and glared at his brother, "You're just scared of them because they're little people!"

Lovino froze and stared at his younger brother with his mouth gaping.

"Did you say _little people_!" He looked horrified and his eyes snapped to the spot that Feliciano had been speaking to a moment ago.

Queen Erzvet stared back at the boy challengingly though she knew he could not see her.

Feliciano nodded and continued to grit his teeth with his arms folded.

"They're my friends! I've been able to see them since I was little!"

"That's who you've been talking to all these years?" Lovino rounded on him again.

Feliciano nodded, "They're my friends." He repeated proudly.

"Feli, you shouldn't talk to them! You shouldn't even be near them! They're dangerous!"

"No they're not! I like them!" he insisted stubbornly.

Lovino looked like he wanted to yell more before the 10 year old thought better and grabbed his brother's hand to drag him to the house.

"Come on, Nono needs to tell you something."

"I already know they kidnapped me as a baby because you and Nono didn't care and left me alone!" he struggled in his brother's grip.

Lovino flinched in surprise that his brother knew but shook his head.

"But you probably haven't heard our side of the story yet. You keep telling stories about a boy named Heinrich. I recognize him, but we know him by a different name. Come on, Nono will tell you the whole story as far as we know it."

Feliciano was curious now and allowed himself to be dragged into the house.

Erzvet looked after her precious child with fear that she might not want to speak to them anymore after being told the whole story from around 7 years ago.

~F~

The Queen needn't have worried though because Feliciano still very much did love her and thought of her as his rather tiny mama. Though he now understand that he had been stolen pretty quickly after his brother had disappeared from sight in search of four leaf clover. He also now knew the actual name of the boy with blond hair and blue eyes and why he was important in his memories. The boy had been the one to rescue him from the little people and bring him back home to Nono and Lovi. His name was Ludwig and his grandfather said that he looked about 10. He also said the boy was from Brigadoon and had mentioned wanting to be a knight. That was why he had bravely rescued Feli. He had not mentioned the name to the little people and still referred to him in his stories as Heinrich, but he was now very curious and excited to someday meet this boy again. He found out what month the event had taken place in and started figuring out when it would have been 10 years. When May rolled around again when he was 9, he got very excited.

"Two years to go" he murmured to himself and looked out the back window in the living room at the rolling hills of the moors and wondered what Birgadoon was like and if the boy even remembered the baby he had saved near there.

In winter of that year, Romulus Vargas fell ill.

~F~

The following year was hard for the Vargas brothers as their grandfather's health rapidly deteriorated. When it was clear that he could no longer care for them by himself a local home nurse was called in to stay with them while their nearest relatives were contacted. The one that showed up was a young cousin on their mom's side. Their aunt had moved to America as a young woman and soon fell in love and started a family there. Her daughter, the cousin now living with them, was not a very big help. She was flighty and just wanted to explore the town and surrounding area during the day and party in the pubs with the local young people at night. She was 20 years old and basically just wanted to have fun living her new adult life in a foreign country. Lovino didn't like her at all and called her many nasty names behind her back, and sometimes even to her face. Feliciano didn't mind her so much when she actually paid attention to them. She sometimes took him on walks out past the local hills, something he had been unable to do for several months since his grandfather's health started failing. And when she bothered to cook for them on top of their grandfather, she did make delicious meals and treats. He just wished she would remember more often that she was not only supposed to be caring for Nono but them as well.

His real help through these rough times were the little people. They cheered him up by encouraging him to tell stories about Heinrich. He would sit in the clover for hours after school when Jena was away and create new and ongoing stories about the blond haired blue eyed boy and his adventures and struggles with growing up in Brigadoon. He would create other worlds that Brigadoon traveled to when not visiting earth and the adventures that heroic Heinrich the brave would get up to there as well.

Lovino had stopped occasionally listening at these times after he had found out who Feli was really talking to. But he did listen when Feli would sit by their grandfather and tell him the stories instead. Nono said they made him feel better and when he got better he would try his luck at making up a story for them too. Both boys cheerfully agreed, though they knew that was never going to happen.

The funeral was held in August. The whole town attended to pay their respects to the Old Italian Man. Lovino showed all his emotions for a change and cursed at anyone that tried to tell him things would be fine. The 12 year old was NOT fine and would not BE fine! Feliciano was also not fine and spent the entire time crying and letting himself be comforted by the townspeople who cared about him very much. They encouraged him to stay strong and not give up on his painting since he was so skilled for a 10 year old. He simply nodded and didn't say anything for once.

But after the burial he couldn't stay at the grave long and took off back down the hill and towards the open moors. He fell to his knees and sobbed long and hard before looking up and envisioning a town appear there. Brigadoon.

"Where are you, my knight?" he wept, "Why can't you be here now when I need you the most?"

There was no answer save for the wind rustling over the grass and the occasional hum of a nearby insect. Feliciano was still alone out there. Brigadoon would not return until May 2. A day that Feliciano donned a little green dress that his mama made in honor of the occasion (she still thought he was a girl), when the realms of the mundane and the fantastic were bridged, and he would dance with the little people above the hills, without fear.

( _AN: Hopefully you don't think this chapter jumped around too fast. I wanted a brief collection of Feli's life up till the second appearance of Brigadoon. And for people who are confused based on what Ludwig explained last chapter: The little people can emerge from under their hill anytime but they will be tiny. It's only when Brigadoon has merged the two realms that they can take human size and have power over them, hence how Erzvet took baby Feli's soul._

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Ciao~)_


	3. Chapter 3

Ch.3

It should have been just like last time for Ludwig when Brigadoon appeared on earth near the village, but plans of his grandfather and brother got in the way. Despite the fact that Ludwig had kept himself at 13 for 7 years, his brother felt that he deserved to come with them this time. Heinz Beilshcmidt was not so sure that was a good idea though. Gilbert was now a young man in his 20s and therefore they could partake in some of the more adult places in town, namely the pubs and a few gentleman's clubs, and his grandson's flirting with the beautiful bartenders would not be so weird now. And of course, he would be there beside Gilbert to make sure he didn't try and bring back one of the local girls to Brigadoon without explaining everything properly to her. Those were his plans, but Gilbert kept pestering him for the week before to let Ludwig come with them too.

"I don't need to." Ludwig shrugged, "I'm basically still a kid."

Gilbert had ignored him and continued to pester their grandfather until Heinz had given in. Ludwig was left frustrated but he knew that if he tried to sway his grandfather's mind back away from it, it would only end up in a large argument. And he was in too good of a mood to want to get into an argument before they arrived at the town. His thoughts for the past couple of years kept going back to his last time visiting the town, when he had gotten to be a knight. He wondered if the baby, who would no longer be a baby but instead a child of 11, had been told about him. He was excited to properly meet them and introduce himself. Feli, the grandfather and brother had called the child. But they had also called Feli a boy while the Queen of the Caledonians had called her a girl. It was all very confusing, but he was certain that seeing the child grown up would make it clear which Feli actually was.

It was with these thoughts that Ludwig occupied himself as he walked with his family down over the hills towards the road to the earth town. (He really should find out its name this time). But at the same time, what was the point when they were only there every 10 years?

Gilbert knocked him from his thoughts at that moment by punching him in the shoulder.

"What do you think so far, Bruder? Not really different from Brigadoon huh? And even when we reach the town you'll still think that. Although, in my opinion, I think we're a little ahead of earth times now." He chuckled.

Ludwig just rubbed his arm and shrugged and turned away in a clear indication he didn't want his brother to bother him anymore. Now that they were approaching the town he had to find the perfect time of putting his plan of escape into action. If he was going to go visit Feli and their family in peace then he had to slip away from his annoyingly boisterous and self centered brother and attentively strict grandfather. The first plan he had created involved the dancing festival that would hopefully be taking place in town square again. He was sure that Gilbert would insist to participate in order to show off his amazing dancing skills to the ladies, and Heinz's attention would be on him to make sure he didn't make a fool or nuisance of himself, and then Ludwig could slip away and go to the farm where Feli and his family lived. He really hoped that after 10 years he could still remember the correct path to take. There were probably many farms with hills by them.

His typical set face turned into a frown as he fretted. If that first attempt failed then he would be forced to wait until the evening fell and his family started drinking. They wouldn't notice him missing then. But that would also be late to call on the earth family. And he really wanted to make sure that Feli was still ok and happy, and that the Caledonians hadn't caused more trouble. It was amazing how quickly that baby had captured his heart. He wanted to show that he was still the same caring, brave, big brotherly knight that Feli deserved.

Gilbert suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him at a dash through town towards the town square where, sure enough, the dance festival was well underway. Ludwig only needed to stay out of the fray and bide his time and he would be off on his way to visiting Feli.

~L~

It turned out that Gilbert was more persistent at getting his little brother to dance than he had at first anticipated and it took him slipping out of the circle of dancers a couple of hours later and quickly snatching an outfit from what turned out to be a costume shop, leaving behind what money he hoped would cover it and slipping the black hat and cape on before dashing away from the festivities. He had not seen a single person there that could have been Feli, so he was now sure that the child was at home.

But he still appeared to be having no luck that day as he passed several farmhouses and none of them looked similar enough to his memories. Evening was starting to fall and he was certain his grandfather and brother would soon discover he was missing. He sincerely hoped they wouldn't panic and just might assume he had gotten bored and gone home. That was the only way he could keep moving forward on his quest to reach Feli..

His eyes were suddenly drawn towards lights on a hill by a farmhouse. The sun was going down so some parts were cast into shadows but he could make out many elegant figures that appeared to be dancing around the base of the hill. He was drawn towards them and left the main path to strike out across the grasses in their direction. When he got closer the floating green lights revealed what he had indeed thought. The Caledonians were having their own celebration and between the figures of the King and Queen was a young child in a lovely green dress with a light lace cloth tied around their hair. He just watched them dumbfounded for a moment before amber eyes turned towards him and lit up.

"It's you!"

He blinked in surprise and confusion before the little girl raced forward and gripped his hands in excitement.

"You're the boy from my memories and dreams! But you were here 10 years ago. Shouldn't you be much older?" she frowned now and Ludwig could barely manage a lame response.

"We can control our age in Brigadoon."

"Oh!" she grinned again, "That makes sense now! So how old are you then~?"

"13" he murmured.

She grinned more and giggled while raising an eyebrow.

"Did you stay young just for me?"

He flushed a bit at that look.

"O-Only because I was worried you would be scared of me as an adult."

She let out ringing laughter and swung their clasped hands.

"I like you, Heinrich~! You're my protector and knight! Come and dance with me~!"

She tugged on his hands towards the group of dancers and lights, but Ludwig was confused about something still.

"You called me Heinrich, didn't your family tell you my name is actually…"

A hand pushed over his mouth to muffle the name and Feli's eyes turned frightened and her mouth formed a silent No. Her eyes flicked to the side a bit and she tilted her head. Ludwig glanced around her and understood and cursed himself at such an obvious mistake he had almost made. The Caledonians were right there close by, and the King and Queen were both staring at him coldly. They would love nothing more than to find out his true name and trick him into going under their hill once more. Then he would be trapped and unable to do anything about it unlike last time.

He nodded to show Feli that he understood and wouldn't tell them anything about himself they could use. She smiled and sighed in relief and lowered her hand. His body slumped a bit at the removal of such sweet contact. A reaction like _that_ to meeting Feli again he had not anticipated. It made him feel weird and uncomfortable. After all, she had only been a baby last time he had been there 10 years ago! Did sudden feelings like these at seeing her again make him sick?

"Um, Heinrich?" Feli murmured, "Are you ok? You've been staring at the grass with a frown on your face for a few moments now."

He snapped from his troubled thoughts and looked back up into those amber eyes.

"Ah, ja! I-I'm fine! Y-You wanted to dance right?"

She nodded in delight and tugged him with her into the group of dancers and with a deep breath, he fell in step with the throng and had soon forgotten his worries as he smiled and led Feli in dance after dance as they jumped and whirled about by the hill within the green glow of the lights from the Caledonians. It was true magic and he soon lost track of time, lost in the rhythm of the dances and the melodic music that accompanied it, and most especially Feli. He found himself able to stare into her beautiful amber eyes forever and watch how the lights made them sparkle and practically seem to dance.

But eventually, Feli clutched to him at the end of the latest dance and breathed heavily while grinning and giggling,

"I-I think I need to rest for a bit. Can we just sit and talk and look up at the stars?"

Ludwig nodded and lead her over into a patch of clover where she immediately sat down and pulled off her headscarf so her lovely auburn locks were revealed. He was slightly surprised that she kept her hair cut short, but then again, if her overly doting adopted mother, Erzvet, didn't seem to mind then it was really nothing he should wonder at.

Feli fell onto her back with her arms splayed out and stared up at the stars. "It's such a beautiful and perfect evening, huh Heinrich?"

He smiled and nodded as he lay back as well and briefly looked at the stars before turning his attention to her again. He just stared at her for several minutes and caught the slight flush that started coming over her cheeks.

"You keep staring at me? Do you think I'm weird? My brother does. Lovi doesn't understand how I can be so at ease around the little people when they kidnapped me 10 years ago. He says that I'm just asking for trouble. Do you think I am?"

She turned her head so they were facing each other now and Ludwig caught his breath before shaking his head.

"You're not weird. You only have your brother and grandfather so it's natural you would welcome a mother figure. The Queen is very pretty, and I could tell 10 years ago that she would have doted on you. She probably still does, huh?" He expected a more cheerful response than the one he got.

Feli bit her lip and her eyes turned sad and downcast.

"Nono passed away 2 years ago."

He gasped in shock and sat up but continued to look down at her.

"Really? I'm so sorry!"

She smiled and sat up as well and took his hands.

"Most days I'm ok coping with it. Erzie and Roddie help with that."

He nodded, "So who's your guardian now?"

"Our cousin" she sighed, "She's nice when she pays attention to us. Most of the time she says we're old enough to take care of ourselves and goes off somewhere."

Ludwig growled a bit at that. How could anybody not care enough about Feli to not pay her the attention she deserves! He had a right mind to go yell at the woman to do her job properly! But he didn't want to leave Feli just yet. In truth he didn't want to leave her at all. Especially when she was looking at him with such earnest and holding his hands tight like this. He made to say something but she spoke again first.

"I-I really needed you. When Nono got sick. When he passed away and things got hard. I really needed you then."

Ludwig felt like his heart was being shattered and he said the only thing he could think of as he gently squeezed her hands,

"I'm here now."

Her eyes watered and she dropped his hands in order to throw herself into his arms and sob. He was caught off guard at first but soon had wrapped her in a secure but gentle embrace and stroked her back and hair like he had seen other couples in Brigadoon doing frequently. It felt so good and right like this and he no longer was confused about what his feelings for Feli were or if they were wrong. He loved her, not like a brother, but still like a knight. Her brave and strong knight who would always take care of her and love her the way a married couple was supposed to. But that would have to wait for another 10 years when she would be 21. Then, he promised himself, he would return and beg her to go back to Brigadoon to live with him and get married. He was planning to tell her all this when they broke apart but then decided it would be selfish to make her wait for him all that time. She should be happy, even if it was with some other young man that came along when she was old enough and he was gone. Much as it saddened him to think about that he decided it would be for the best.

"Hey Heinrich" Feli's voice broke him from his saddened thoughts.

"J-Ja?!" he replied quickly and looked straight into her eyes.

She smiled before biting her lip nervously and swinging their combined hands.

"Would you stay here with me? And not go back to Brigadoon?"

He blinked several times as his mouth formed a surprised O and his mind started to joyously cancel out all of his previous fears before reality crashed in on him again. His family. He couldn't just abandon his grandfather like that, even if Gil was an adult and could take care of him. There were still many things his grandfather had promised to teach him and show him when he allowed himself to get older. He sighed and looked down, unable to meet those trusting and loving amber eyes as he answered,

"I can't. I wish I could but…you have your family and likewise, I have mine."

She looked heartbroken before her eyes lit up again and she grinned.

"Then, I'll go back to Brigadoon with you~!"

He sighed and shook his head again.

"Your brother would be so upset to lose you again, and for much longer this time. And even if she doesn't seem it, I'm sure your cousin would care too."

Feli bit her lip again and started to tear up. "But, ten years is so long to be without you again! And what if you don't like me the same when you return next time?"

Ludwig didn't think about how young they both were when he placed his hands firmly on her cheeks and leaned forward to kiss her before leaning back and looking earnestly into her eyes.

"That will never happen! I'm you're knight forever! Remember that!"

She nodded and smiled before leaning against his chest.

"I wish I could give you something as a promise…oh!" She quickly leaned down and picked up her discarded headscarf and wrapped it around his neck, "There! Now you have a way to always remember me and your promise~!"

He touched it delicately and smiled before wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug again and whispering in her ear,

"Nach gorm na cnuic a tha fada bhuainn."

She inhaled at the breath and melodic words before leaning back to cock her head.

"It's pretty but what does it mean?"

He chuckled,

"The rough translation is, How green the hills which are far from us. But in modern time it's, The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

She blinked a little more before laughing.

"That doesn't make sense for why you told it to me then!"

"Of course it does~" he laughed as well, "Because I will always think the hills where you live are better than mine!"

She blushed and giggled more before a shout from the house startled her and the Caledonians.

"That's Lovi" she sighed and turned from him briefly to see a figure standing near the house and clearly waiting for her to come.

The Caledonians looked saddened at the prospect that she had to go but it reminded Ludwig that he should get going too. He might need to check in bars to make sure his grandfather and brother weren't piss drunk and unable to make it home on their own.

Feli leaned in to kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear this time.

"Sei il mio eroe."

And then she was gone, leaving him to ponder on the walk back to town and, after he had collected his brother and grandfather, all the way back to Brigadoon on the meaning of those sweet words from his angel.

 _(AN:Hopefully the ending didn't just cut off too fast for you. If you're confused about why I kept using female pronouns for Feli it's because the chapter is from Ludwig's perspective and he thought Feli was a girl. The phrase that Ludwig used is Gaelic and I got it from an internet page on Gaelic Sayings and their meanings. Feli's is Italian and you can look up the meaning or wait for him to explain in a later chapter. ;D I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Ciao~)_


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